Lumber trimming and marking machine



y 1934- H. H. PAYZANT LUMBER TRIMMING AND MARKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 71497277 H Pa w, W W v N vk July 10, 1934. H. H. PAYZANT LUMBER TRIMMING'AND MARKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1931 4 Sheefis-Sheet 2 July 10, 1934. H, PAYZANT 1,966,396

LUMBER TRIMMING AND MARKING MACHINE Fild Dec. 5, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet a flenryfl Payzant WMW y 1934- H. H. PAYZANT LUMBER TRIMMING AND MARKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1951 a W? Z W Q W m fi as WW dbbommqdl Patented July 10, 1934 I res - UNITED STA LUMBERQTRIMMING'AND MARKING MACHINE Henry H. "Payzant, St.

' General Timber Service, -Inc., St." P-aul, Minn., a.

Y corporation of Delaware Application Dce'mberp, I931, Serial'No. 579,215

8 Claims.

It is the object of this invention to provide-a rugged, efficient machine for printing or impressing trade marks, grade marks, and other identifying and ornamental displayson the ends of pieces of lumber.

A "further object isto providea machine for marking pieces of lumber of difierent widths, thicknesses and lengths with a minimum of adjustment of the machine.

Another object is to eliminate lostmotion and unnecessary joints in the marking and guiding mechanism for the lumber so that unusually clear and uniform impressions on the ends of the pieces of lumber are secured.

Astill further object is toprovide amachine adapted to mark the ends of pieces of lumber of different lengths without manual adjustment, unusually clear impressions being secured by novel-mechanism preventing longitudinal movement of the lumber or retraction of theprinting head during the makingof'the impression.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate' the best form-of my device at present known to me: v Figure lis a. plan view showingthe essential parts of the'machine, the parts omitted being similar to'those illustrate'd; V

Fig. 2 is an'elevation-of the-frontordfeedend of the machine;

Fig.3'is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; l

Fig. 4 is 'a fragmentary plan view showing the mechanism for actuating the lumber longitudiw nally toiproper position against the-tend :guide or abutment; I r

Fig. 5 is a sectiontaken onthe line 5.i' of Fig. "1, showing the printing mech'anism, driving connections therefor and adjacent parts of the machine; I 7

Figqfiis a section taken 'on the line 6-6 of Fig.5; and

Figf'? is a section-taken on -the line Fig. 5. v

As best shown in Figs. 1, '2 --and 5, the base frame of the machine has channel-shaped membets '8 extending in spaced parallel relation to each other. Supported on the -members 8 and extending at right angles thereto are-frame members Q'atthe-fmnt and-rear'of the machine respectively. Suitable bearings 110 are fixed on the member 9 at the front :of the machine to support a shaft -l1'and similar bearings 12 are secured to the member- 9--at the delivery end of .the 'machine i to support a-shaft -l-3. Chains -14 for: conveying the lumber, arewtrainedioversprocket wheels 15 fixed-0n the-shafts l1 and 1-3 and a sprocket wheel 1-6 .(-Fig.-l) on the shaft 13 is adapted'to be drivenby-suitable connections with 'a 'motor. To maintain the upper runs of the chains 14=in horizontabposition between the sprocket wheels -l5, supporting bars 17 are provided. Lugs -18 project 'irom'the'chains 14 at suitable, regularly spaced intervals to ena e and m p es of mb ewi e- To *slidably support the lumber, pairs of skids 20-andindividual skids-21 are securedin spaced parallel relation to each other, being suppor-ted at their ends ,on thel-argeirame-members 9.

- A rigid overhead frame is -mo unted r in spaced parallel relation to the base frame and skids, the upper frame being supported on the lower a e y n ppr ht az lz, 'h p r f am o sists of a pair o ma chan el m mbe s 2 connected 'by transverse members 24 and 25. Ea n the m mbe 1 1 is m u t d i ec a ov o 'l f'th k d 0 and con ist o a an e ba hav n o ofits fl n s se ured to hememh rs-423 and its t e .zfl n pmi tinsd ne ward. The members-25am similar to themembers 24 but are positioned relatively near a saw ZGQadapted to-trimthe ends of the lumber.

:ThB SZsW 26 is -di rect1y-dr iven by a motor 27 fastened-to the bottom of a beam 2 8, of channel shape, extending between and secured to the upper frame members 23. Beneath-this channel member 28, and secured to ,onetof the-members 9., ise-casing 29 containing a --marking head or die-3O adapted-to mark the endsof the lumber previously trim-med by the saw 26. As :more fully described ;inmy (impending-application for patent on -;Printing device for wlumber, Serial Number 5'79 2 l 4, filed :December 5, 1931, thehead 30 is of a the rotary type having-the printing dieon itsperiphery. I-Yhe -headis mounted-0n .a verticalshaft 31 (Fig.5) r-andis-drivenbysuitable connectiens with a horizontal shaft "32 which is, in turn, @driven by a chain-33 trained on-a large sprocket wheel 34. -Connections=are also-provided between the shaft 32 and'theshaft 35--for driving mechanism within the casing 29 adapted to ink the die on the head 30.

The vdriving connections for the head 30 are arrangedso that said head has aperipheral speed equalto the speed of'the lumber .and in order to apply the mark to the centralportion of the end surface of,pieces.-of vdifferent widths, the mechanism illustrated in-Figs. 5, S and 7 isprovided. 'A toothed segment-36m keye'dlto the shaft i3 an d.a hub {37Jon the segment-3'6 revolubly supports the sprocket-wheel 34. To establish a driving 0011- 110 nection between the segment 36 and sprocket wheel 34 a dog 38 is pivotally mounted on said sprocket wheel and is movable to engage any pair of teeth on the segment 36. A nut 39 threaded on the free end. of the dog 38 affords means for securing the dog in engagement with the segment 36. To cause the printing to be applied in proper registry with the end of a board of any particular width, it is only necessary to secure the dog 38 in the corresponding or proper opening between teeth in the segment 36.

The lumber is held flat on the skids 20 and 21 and in engagement with the lugs 18 on the chains 14 by a multiplicity of guide bars 40. Each guide bar is channel shaped in cross section and has an up-turned front end 41 to raise it and cause the lumber to pass beneath it. The bars are movable substantially vertically, being connected to the members 24 by pairs of arms 42. Each of the arms 42 has a pivot bolt 43 connecting it to a pair of the overhead frame members 24 and a second bolt or pivot pin 44 connecting it to one of the guide bars 40. The guide bars 40 located to the left of the skids 21, as seen in Fig. 2, pass between and engage a pair of the skids 20 when in normal or lowered position, suitable stops 45 being mounted between said skids to support the guide bars in lowered position. The bars 40 between the skids 21 merely rest on blocks 46 when in their normal or lower position. Smooth bottom surfaces on the bars 40 are provided to slidably engage the top surfaces of the lumber and each of said bars has a smooth side surface 47 to engage and guide an end of the lumber during the trimming or marking operation.

To adapt the machine to mark lumber of any of the standard lengths, sets of the guide bars 40 (together with their overhead supporting mechanism and a pair of the skids 20) are placed at regular one foot intervals to the left of the left skid 21, shown in Fig. 2, and two sets of the guide bars are placed to the right of the left skid 21, as shown in Fig. 2, to merely hold the shorter pieces of lumber in engagement with the lugs. A set of the guide bars 40 comprises two of said bars disposed in longitudinal alignment with each other, one opposite the saw 26 and the other opposite the printing head 30. The weight of the bars 40 is sufiicient to create the desired downward pressure on the lumber.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a spring-pressed guide 48 is arranged in the path of the ends of the lumber at the receiving side of the saw 26. This guide 48 has a smooth vertical surface extending obliquely toward the saw, said surface being formed on an up-turned flange integral with a triangular plate 49. A pivot pin 50 connects the plate 49 to a supporting frame member 51 and an upturned corner of said plate is connected to a spring 52 having a fixed support 53 at its opposite end. The spring 52 normally returns the plate 49 in engagement with a stop 54 which is fixed on the frame.

Operation In operation, the chains 14 are continuously driven in the appropriate direction in unison and with sets of the lugs 18 in line across the direction of movement. A piece of lumber to be trimmed and marked is placed on the skids 20 and 21 at the receiving end of the machine and with its end nearest the saw in such position that it will strike the end guide 48. The pieces of lumber, as they are fed to the machine, are

slightly greater in length than the final or trimmed size so that each piece, as it is received, has its end remote from the saw spaced slightly from the guide surface 47 of one of the guide bars 40. A piece so placed on the skids 20 and 21 is engaged by a set of lugs 13 on the chains 14 and is advanced edgewise until its end strikes the guide 48. This guide thrusts the piece longitudinally until the remote end engages the surface 47 of one of the guide bars 40. Further movement of the piece causes the guide 48 to be retracted against the action of the spring 52, leaving a short end part of the piece projecting beyond the saw. This end projection is now out off by the saw 26 as the piece is advanced with its opposite end in sliding engagement with the surface 47 on one of the guides 40, and with two or more of the other guide bars 40 confining the piece in proper engagement with the skids and chain lugs. It will be understood that the guide bars 40 in the path of the piece of lumber are raised, as indicated in Fig. 3. Movement of the piece then continues to the marking head while another group of the guide bars 40 comes into operation to prevent longitudinal and vertical movement of the lumber out of the path of the die on the head 30. This die forms the impression on the previously trimmed end of the piece and the latter is finally delivered at the end of the skids 20 and 21 after passing out from beneath the guide bars 40.

It will now be understood that no adjustment is required to adapt the machine to mark the ends of lumber of different lengths and adjustment is only required to cause the printing head to center the impression on the ends of boards of different widths. The latter adjustment merely requires the removal of the dog 38 from one of the notches between teeth on the segment 36 and replacement in another notch, the selection of which is dependent on the width of the board. The lugs 18, being uniformly spaced on the chains, present the pieces of lumber to the marking head at regular spaced intervals of time and the head being driven in timed relation to the chains places the mark uniformly and in proper registry on the several pieces.

Uniformity and clarity of impression is secured by my arrangement of the guide bars 40 and their supporting and guiding connections. It will be evident that when a side surface 47 of one of the bars 40 is in engagement with a piece of lumber during the trimming or marking operation, the guide bar 40 is securely held against side motion by engagement with a pair of the skids 20 between which said bar closely fits. Except for rotary motion, the head 30 is not movable so that there is no opportunity for inaccuracies due to lost motion or loose connections at the corresponding end of the machine.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lumber marking machine having a plurality of skids, means for moving lumber along said skids and means for marking an end of each piece during its movement along said skids, the combination of an overhead support, a guide bar secured to said support and having a side surface for guiding the ends of pieces of lumber remote from said marking means during the marking operation and means for confining said bar against movement away from said marking means during the marking operation.

2. In a lumber marking machine having means for moving lumber sideways along a determined path and means for marking an end of each piece of lumber during its movement along said path, the combination of an overhead support, a guide bar movably secured to said support, said bar having a smooth unyielding side surface for guiding an end of a piece of lumber during the marking of the same and a rigid abutment for the opposite side of said bar.

3. In a lumber marking machine having means for moving lumber sideways along a determined path and means for marking an end of each piece of lumber during its movement along said path, the combination of an overhead support, a guide bar movably secured to said support and having a bottom surface adapted to engage the topsurface of a piece of lumber moving along said path, said bar having a side surface for guiding another piece of lumber on said path and means for actuating the lumber longitudinally into engagement with said side surface.

4. In a lumber marking machine having a plurality of skids, means for moving -lumber along said skids and means for marking an end of each piece during its movement along said skids, the combination of a guide bar movable upward and normally positioned in engagement with a side of one of said skids, said guide bar having a vertical surface for engagement with an end of a piece of lumber and means for actuating a piece of lumber longitudinally toward and against said vertical surface, said bar being arranged to be raised to permit the passage of a longer piece of lumber beneath the same.

5. In a lumber marking machine having a plurality of skids, means for moving lumber along said skids and means for marking an end of each piece during its movement along said skids, the combination of supports for a guide bar mounted above said skids and a guide bar movably secured to said support and normally positioned in engagement with a side of one of said skids, said bar having a vertical surface for engagement with an end of a piece of lumber and being arranged to be raised to permit the passage of a longer piece of lumber beneath the same.

6. In a lumber marking machine having a plurality of skids, means for moving lumber along said skids and means for marking an end of each piece during its movement along said skids, the combination of supports mounted above said skids, a guide bar movably secured to said support, said guide bar having a smooth unyielding surface for engagement with a piece of lumber and means for actuating a piece of lumber longitudinally to engage said surface, said bar being arranged to be raised to permit the passage of a longer piece of lumber beneath the same.

7. In a lumber marking machine having means for moving lumber sideways along a determined path and means for marking an end of each piece of lumber during its movement along said path, the combination of an overhead frame, guide bars movably supported on said frame and having bottom surfaces adapted to engage the top surfaces of lumber moving along said path, said guide bars having guide surfaces for engagement with the ends of lumber on said path, and means for supporting said bars against movement away from said marking means during the marking operation.

8. In a lumber marking machine having a plurality of skids, means for moving lumber along said skids and means for marking an end of each piece during its movement along said skids, the combination of an overhead frame, guide bars movably supported on said frame and having bottom surfaces adapted to engage the top surfaces of lumber passing beneath said bars on said skids, certain of said guide bars having side surfaces for engagement with the ends of shorter pieces of lumber on said skids and means for actuating the lumber longitudinally into engagement with said side surfaces.

HENRY H. PAYZANT. 

